The end of another school term - not actually a term but a session - we have now closed for summer and only reopen on 1st Sept.
It has been hectic - but in the UAE there is no let up- it will be even more hectic September onwards .
Looking back over the term I am filled with relief its over and satisfaction it went well.
There were the usual expected ups and downs but they were unavoidable .
The pace in India was slower and still is in most schools . While parental expectations have risen all over the authorities and the inspections if any are not as stringent .
We hated them here as they were and still are stressful but they have helped streamline procedures and they do keep school focused .
Imagine a 5 day inspection-5  7 inspectors who spend all day in school.
They check anything that can be checked ........................ teaching and learning , exercise books, assignments, marks, results, health and safety, leadership and management , records, transport, parental involvement, pupil and parent feedback , corrections, lesson plans , exam results, graphs , methods, policies, records - you name it and they want to see it !
Functions are equally stressing - there is no room for error - everyone expects everything to be perfect !
Does the perfect state even exist I ask ?
Transport is also quite a pain.
Over 90 % of pupils use school transport . Our transport company is one of the best but there always will be the usual hiccups........................ buses late, pupils troubling each other , refusing to buckle up, not at the stop at the correct time and hence missing the bus, littering , arguing with the conductor ( !!), accidents along the way which result in pupils and kids coming in late and classes being left unattended .
Time and again we have had to bring forward the morning pick up timings to try and beat the early morning rush but buses continue to come in late as the quantum of traffic in Dubai is on the rise.
How does one sort out Open days for parents .
Whenever you have it there will always be a rush and parents will always want a change. Its a no win situation for any school .
But despite all this school has been fun
Whenever I am stressed out I take a walk into the Junior school and a few minutes of chatting to some kids and you feel happy and refreshed once again !
As I get ready to head off to Pune I am filled with a sense of nostalgia - Pune is home now and I was there for 20 years before moving to the Middle East .

 

The end of another school term - not actually a term but a session - we have now closed for summer and only reopen on 1st Sept.
It has been hectic - but in the UAE there is no let up- it will be even more hectic September onwards .
Looking back over the term I am filled with relief its over and satisfaction it went well.
There were the usual expected ups and downs but they were unavoidable .
The pace in India was slower and still is in most schools . While parental expectations have risen all over the authorities and the inspections if any are not as stringent .
We hated them here as they were and still are stressful but they have helped streamline procedures and they do keep school focused .
Imagine a 5 day inspection-5  7 inspectors who spend all day in school.
They check anything that can be checked ........................ teaching and learning , exercise books, assignments, marks, results, health and safety, leadership and management , records, transport, parental involvement, pupil and parent feedback , corrections, lesson plans , exam results, graphs , methods, policies, records - you name it and they want to see it !
Functions are equally stressing - there is no room for error - everyone expects everything to be perfect !
Does the perfect state even exist I ask ?
Transport is also quite a pain.
Over 90 % of pupils use school transport . Our transport company is one of the best but there always will be the usual hiccups........................ buses late, pupils troubling each other , refusing to buckle up, not at the stop at the correct time and hence missing the bus, littering , arguing with the conductor ( !!), accidents along the way which result in pupils and kids coming in late and classes being left unattended .
Time and again we have had to bring forward the morning pick up timings to try and beat the early morning rush but buses continue to come in late as the quantum of traffic in Dubai is on the rise.
How does one sort out Open days for parents .
Whenever you have it there will always be a rush and parents will always want a change. Its a no win situation for any school .
But despite all this school has been fun
Whenever I am stressed out I take a walk into the Junior school and a few minutes of chatting to some kids and you feel happy and refreshed once again !
As I get ready to head off to Pune I am filled with a sense of nostalgia - Pune is home now and I was there for 20 years before moving to the Middle East .

 

Friday musings- As you get older

As you get older you begin to ponder .........
1. Why can't there be three days to a weekend
2. Why do nights finish so fast and days drag on endlessly
3.Why is tasty food bad for health.
4.Must you get a backache from time to time ?
5.There is such a thing as a favourite chair in the house
6.Am I that old?? Really ?
7.Can't work start later and end earlier ?
8.Do I HAVE to sign all those papers ?
9.Has bank work always been so tedious.
10.At most airports my bag goes through the scanner and then they pull it back to look again - do I resemble a T .........T?
11.There IS such a thing as over eating and indigestion !
12. Pills Do work .
13. Afternoons were made for sleeping .
14 Alcohol was a useful invention
15. Your children think your childish
16. You start looking better than you did when you were younger
17. HAPPY / SAD/ DEPRESSED are relative terms
18.Little kids amuse you more
19. You're so happy you have  no exams to sit for because your so sure you would fail if you did .
20. Your not worried about your CV  being updated or where your certificates are at the moment.
21.When you look at old photographs 'you do look so comical and you say to yourself OMG !
22. When pupils are brought to you for getting into a tangle / problem- you say to yourself - I did the same when in school and let them off with a warning
23. You repeat the same story more than once - and after doing it' you realize that  you have done it
24. When you go round a sharp bend your stomach takes the corner before you !
25. Not many people want to read more than 25 points of your silly post .

Friday musings- As you get older

As you get older you begin to ponder .........
1. Why can't there be three days to a weekend
2. Why do nights finish so fast and days drag on endlessly
3.Why is tasty food bad for health.
4.Must you get a backache from time to time ?
5.There is such a thing as a favourite chair in the house
6.Am I that old?? Really ?
7.Can't work start later and end earlier ?
8.Do I HAVE to sign all those papers ?
9.Has bank work always been so tedious.
10.At most airports my bag goes through the scanner and then they pull it back to look again - do I resemble a T .........T?
11.There IS such a thing as over eating and indigestion !
12. Pills Do work .
13. Afternoons were made for sleeping .
14 Alcohol was a useful invention
15. Your children think your childish
16. You start looking better than you did when you were younger
17. HAPPY / SAD/ DEPRESSED are relative terms
18.Little kids amuse you more
19. You're so happy you have  no exams to sit for because your so sure you would fail if you did .
20. Your not worried about your CV  being updated or where your certificates are at the moment.
21.When you look at old photographs 'you do look so comical and you say to yourself OMG !
22. When pupils are brought to you for getting into a tangle / problem- you say to yourself - I did the same when in school and let them off with a warning
23. You repeat the same story more than once - and after doing it' you realize that  you have done it
24. When you go round a sharp bend your stomach takes the corner before you !
25. Not many people want to read more than 25 points of your silly post .

The Pune I grew to love

Arrived in Pune in 1981 and fell so in love with the city that I stayed there for 20 years - yes that's 20 !
What first impressed me ?
The weather - amazing- cool - breezy and fresh. The best part - not too hot and not too cold and then not too much rain as well. By that I mean that it rains and clears and yippee you can go out !( at least for most of the time )
There have been exceptions when it has rained for many days and then that was sure depressing.
What else - There was the main shopping area back then for the residents of the cantonment - MAIN STREET/ East Street.
Shops I  frequented.
Priya for its tasty dosas and idlis !
Morz'o Rin for the sandwiches , chicken rolls , juices and cold coffee
Mona food - for tasty lunches
Pasteur Bakery - all things baked and fresh - very reasonable too- the macaroons were to die for.
D Philips was for gifts and other nick knacks- the owner was friendly and very helpful and if you wanted something in particular he would try and get it for you in a week or so.
Imperial Hosiery for uniforms and shirts etc.
Dinshaw- one of the best for spectacles - and of course a good chat with the owners.
Chung Fa- amazing Chinese  food - Haka noodles and prawns. Sweet and sour chicken
Kamling- same as the above but more pricey !
Budhani - chips , chikki and Chura !
Royal Bakery for the best bread and buns
Kayani - Shewsbury biscuits - where else can you get them !
George - dinner and snacks galore
West End- for the best English movies in Pune
Dorabjee- Biryani was their speciality. Aso the Parsee specialty Dhansak
Blue Nile was also a place for tasty food.
Wonder Land - something new and full of little shops selling IMPORTED goods !
Some good schools as well- Bishops , Mary's , Vincents, Helenas, Hutchings, Boys and Girls Dastur, St Felix, SSPMS and KV Southern Command were some of the well known ones.
Then of course the ILS Law College, Wadia collegs, Fergusson and Symbiosis

A great city indeed.
Have settled there !

 
 

The Pune I grew to love

Arrived in Pune in 1981 and fell so in love with the city that I stayed there for 20 years - yes that's 20 !
What first impressed me ?
The weather - amazing- cool - breezy and fresh. The best part - not too hot and not too cold and then not too much rain as well. By that I mean that it rains and clears and yippee you can go out !( at least for most of the time )
There have been exceptions when it has rained for many days and then that was sure depressing.
What else - There was the main shopping area back then for the residents of the cantonment - MAIN STREET/ East Street.
Shops I  frequented.
Priya for its tasty dosas and idlis !
Morz'o Rin for the sandwiches , chicken rolls , juices and cold coffee
Mona food - for tasty lunches
Pasteur Bakery - all things baked and fresh - very reasonable too- the macaroons were to die for.
D Philips was for gifts and other nick knacks- the owner was friendly and very helpful and if you wanted something in particular he would try and get it for you in a week or so.
Imperial Hosiery for uniforms and shirts etc.
Dinshaw- one of the best for spectacles - and of course a good chat with the owners.
Chung Fa- amazing Chinese  food - Haka noodles and prawns. Sweet and sour chicken
Kamling- same as the above but more pricey !
Budhani - chips , chikki and Chura !
Royal Bakery for the best bread and buns
Kayani - Shewsbury biscuits - where else can you get them !
George - dinner and snacks galore
West End- for the best English movies in Pune
Dorabjee- Biryani was their speciality. Aso the Parsee specialty Dhansak
Blue Nile was also a place for tasty food.
Wonder Land - something new and full of little shops selling IMPORTED goods !
Some good schools as well- Bishops , Mary's , Vincents, Helenas, Hutchings, Boys and Girls Dastur, St Felix, SSPMS and KV Southern Command were some of the well known ones.
Then of course the ILS Law College, Wadia collegs, Fergusson and Symbiosis

A great city indeed.
Have settled there !

 
 

My tryst with parents ........... nothing official about this . Purely a personal view point .

Years ago parents and teachers stayed away from each other and probably only met if something very serious happened.
Parents looked after their kids at home - fed them, clothed them, disciplined them , gave them a place to stay and made them realize that school was a place to study, get educated and above all get disciplined for life ahead.
For parents , a teacher was a guru - someone to listen to respect & learn from - teachers were held in awe and their word was law - no parent argued , disputed or doubted what the teacher said .
The teacher was a trusted entity and many a parent gave the teacher full reign to discipline their ward and instill in him/ her values which were considered one of the primary reasons of sending them to a good school.
When pupils left for school in the morning ,in my time ,here  is what parents said to them
Study hard.
Listen to your teacher .
Don't fight or trouble any one
Complete your classwork
Don't let me hear you were in trouble
Look after your books and other belongings
Eat your tiffin
THINGS HAVE CHANGED - SO HAVE THE THINGS PARENTS TELL THEIR WARDS WHEN THEY LEAVE FOR SCHOOL.

I watch parents seeing their kids off to school every morning.
They wave and blow flying kisses as if the kid is off for a month long vacation .
And listen to what they say these days.

Bye/ Chill/ Enjoy yourself/ Have a good time .
Nothing about study hard etc .......................!! Surprising isn't it ??
As for the requests/ demands/ comments  .....................they are never ending . No wonder less and less people want to become teachers.

 

READ BELOW- (HIM or HER ) some comments/ requests/ demands .

1 Can you see that  he sits in the first row. He has eye problems ( Just an excuse most of the time )
2. Please see that he completes his work as he is a bit slow.
3. Can you mail me his progress daily.
4. Can you call me every day/ every second day and just give me a brief about him
5  Please separate him from the boys he sits near/ plays with-they are a  bad influence.
6. He has lost his pencil/ rubber - can you please trace it. Please check the lost property cupboard.
7. The class is full of thieves - what is happening these days to this school - my son loses stuff daily.
8. He must get a good role in the Annual concert if not he will be very depressed .Please don't make  him a flower or an animal- he hates flowers and animals and we wont be able to recognize him .Besides his grandparents are also coming from India and they want to see him acting
9. See that he eats his tiffin - please can you rinse it before he comes home as the tiffin box  smells bad .
10. He has left his tiffin at home - can you please give him some money for the canteen.
11. He is not well- send him home if you see him looking tired.
12. He is going for a wedding to India - can you mail me the homework everyday while we are away for 10 days .
13.  If there is a notice - just give me a buzz / call as he does not tell me and I wont know
14. If there is going to be a surprise test can you tell me quietly so I can prepare him.I promise I will not tell him .
15. He is a bit slow so can he get more time in the test.
16. Can you put someone to see that he finishes his lunch and washes his hands.
17. Can he be in the same class as so and so- we are friends you see so it will be helpful as we meet every evening at the yoga class.
18. He is careless while packing his bag- can you please do it/ have it done by another kid.
19.Can you force him to play games in the afternoon as he is so lazy.
20. Remind him not to leave his spectacles on the table as someone will steal them .
21. Can you give 1 more mark as we have checked with friends and that boy got a mark while he did not.
22. Can there be special permission for ..................... a million things !
23. I know you don't allow boys to go to the toilet but he has a weak bladder so he must go  to the toilet every period .
24. Can he wear slip on shoes as he does not know how to tie his laces ( in grade 4 )
25. I know the rule is shorts but he is shy to show his legs- can he wear trousers.
26. Please don't send him for singing/ dancing- against the religion/ tradition.
27 Can he wear a bracelet/ ring- it is for religious reasons
28. During the concert- Please don't put make up as my child gets rashes.
29 Concert- Please let me know what makeup  is being used as her skin is sensitive so I will bring the make up from home and put it myself if you don't mind.
30 Please don't make him a girl in the play/ don't make her a boy - its degrading for a kid ( for goodness sake !!)
31.H is sharing his tiffin with others - he eats their food and they eat his - I don't know what he is eating.
32. My child wastes his food daily ( look into the tiffin and the teacher knows why - its insipid !)
33. Is there any way you can warm his tiffin as he hates cold food .
34  I would like to come in to school  and see you as he is scared of your voice
35 My child feels threatened in class/ school.
36 There was a snake in the toilet - please se that this does not happen ( It never did )
37. My son saw  a cockroach on the wall - how can this happen in a good school like this.
38. There were flies when he was eating lunch and one sat on him and he felt dirty.
39.There was a slight smell  in the toilet so all day she did not go .
40 Can you give 5 composition topics and then one out of those for the test so we can prepare her accordingly.
41. Can there be a practice test in advance .
42. The prefect shouted at my son/ daughter - he/ she felt insulted .
43. My kid was asked to lift the chair and put it on the desk before  leaving ???? Is this needed .
44. My daughter got one star but the other kid got 2 stars ???????? Not fair - very demoralized .
45. You must do more things to encourage the kids (  stars/ sweets  etc)
46. A  man  looked at my daughter when she was entering the bus- can you find out who this was .
47. Listen to this - Parent to teacher - I will leave small gifts in the class-every time my child does good work can you give him a gift .
48. Please don't send my child for PE - she cannot bear the heat ( In the cooler months )
49. Please let my son carry his mobile phone to school as he needs in during pvt tuition .
50 Can you give a new date for his exams as he has to go on a pilgrimage / attend a wedding/ go to India for an engagement / attend a religious ceremony ( almost everyone plays up the religious angle)
51.Why do they have to cover the books with brown paper ??
52. Other kids are using bad language and he is hearing it - now we are concerned it will affect him .
53. He / she is being bullied and is now terrified of coming to school
54. Can I sit in school all day as she has fever - so if needed I can take her home.
55. School starts at 7 40 - We need to drop her by 6. 30 as we go to work - can you arrange for someone to look after her in the morning for an hour every day - she must not be left alone ( sorry we cant do this )
56.She is frightened of water and the swimming teacher forced her to put her head under water - this is cruelty and you must look into it .
57. The teacher criticized her work in front of everyone and said - YOU WONT PASS AT THIS RATE - those sort of remarks are unacceptable and I want to know what action will be taken against the teacher .
58. He was made to stand in the corner for 10 minutes and he felt humiliated ( He was beating up other kids in class )
59. The teacher looked angrily at her - May I know why ?? ( She was eating in class that's why )
60 What is wrong with eating in class ( can  you believe that a parent would ask such a question )
61. Pupils going on a trip to India so parents were asked to sign the normal undertaking  so this is the remark - "I refuse to sign any undertaking that the school will not be held responsible in the eventuality of an accident etc"I do not accept accidents .
62. I have come to lodge a serious complaint as for the second year my child has not been selected for the tennis team .( he can hardly play )
63.Can we discuss the criteria of making Prefects in the school- my son felt he would become Head boy and he is only a Prefect
64 There is a lot of favoritism in school these days ........you must take the teachers to task and be more strict .
65. Some teachers told my son he deserves to be punished ( worst behaved kid in school )
66 Please don't send my son to the counselor he is NOT MAD ( He has ADHD )
67 I refuse to have my son assessed by a Psychologist - this is insulting to my family ( He also has ADHD)

Science - Commerce - Humanities stream election for grade 11 and 12

 Grade 10 - Science / Commerce / Humanities stream selection in Grade 11- A pupil gets very low marks throughout grade 9 and ten / fails in Math / Science most of the time - the pupil is not offered science for grade 11 so here goes.........

HE will feel disappointed
He must be given science as we are both doctors/ engineers
What will all our relatives think
It is a disgrace in our society if her is given commerce
She has wanted to become an engineer from the time she was in grade 5
All her friends have got science so why not her
The system is faulty
Can we see all pupils marks as we are sure something is wrong .
Can the papers be rechecked - there has to be a mistake as she went for tuition throughout the year
This is not fair - PLEASE DO something
We wont leave till you give him science
This is the end of the world for us
I fear he may try and do something to himself as he is very disappointed
Who will be to blame if something happens
Sir you will be to blame if something drastic happens
You are ruining his future
We will complain to the higher authorities
We will go to the press
Who can we meet to get this changed .
Sir- this is torture
Sir he is totally devastated .He says he feels like ending his studies forever
Why are we looking at his low marks- what about his capability.
He is such a good footballer - PLEASE that also must be considered .
He wants to be something in life and your not giving him science
We will teach him/ send him for coaching for both years - we will monitor his work from now on
She will make you proud if you give her just one chance .He/ she has promised to study hard in future .
Why must there be a cut off ................
My wife is refusing to eat and is only crying once she got the news .
I have cancelled all meetings to come and get science for my daughter
I know YOU can do it Sir.
She has been in the school for 10 years so how can you now tell us she wont get science .
Her plan is to go to US for further studies so what is the use if she does not get Math now.
There is no life with Commerce or Humanities - that is for dunces .
Everyone is laughing at her as she never got science.
We cant show our face outside our house now - our life is ruined .
And then there are the tears and the sobs and the sniffles !!!!!!!!

I could go on but I am sure you get the drift .....................

 

Amen !!

 

 

My tryst with parents ........... nothing official about this . Purely a personal view point .

Years ago parents and teachers stayed away from each other and probably only met if something very serious happened.
Parents looked after their kids at home - fed them, clothed them, disciplined them , gave them a place to stay and made them realize that school was a place to study, get educated and above all get disciplined for life ahead.
For parents , a teacher was a guru - someone to listen to respect & learn from - teachers were held in awe and their word was law - no parent argued , disputed or doubted what the teacher said .
The teacher was a trusted entity and many a parent gave the teacher full reign to discipline their ward and instill in him/ her values which were considered one of the primary reasons of sending them to a good school.
When pupils left for school in the morning ,in my time ,here  is what parents said to them
Study hard.
Listen to your teacher .
Don't fight or trouble any one
Complete your classwork
Don't let me hear you were in trouble
Look after your books and other belongings
Eat your tiffin
THINGS HAVE CHANGED - SO HAVE THE THINGS PARENTS TELL THEIR WARDS WHEN THEY LEAVE FOR SCHOOL.

I watch parents seeing their kids off to school every morning.
They wave and blow flying kisses as if the kid is off for a month long vacation .
And listen to what they say these days.

Bye/ Chill/ Enjoy yourself/ Have a good time .
Nothing about study hard etc .......................!! Surprising isn't it ??
As for the requests/ demands/ comments  .....................they are never ending . No wonder less and less people want to become teachers.

 

READ BELOW- (HIM or HER ) some comments/ requests/ demands .

1 Can you see that  he sits in the first row. He has eye problems ( Just an excuse most of the time )
2. Please see that he completes his work as he is a bit slow.
3. Can you mail me his progress daily.
4. Can you call me every day/ every second day and just give me a brief about him
5  Please separate him from the boys he sits near/ plays with-they are a  bad influence.
6. He has lost his pencil/ rubber - can you please trace it. Please check the lost property cupboard.
7. The class is full of thieves - what is happening these days to this school - my son loses stuff daily.
8. He must get a good role in the Annual concert if not he will be very depressed .Please don't make  him a flower or an animal- he hates flowers and animals and we wont be able to recognize him .Besides his grandparents are also coming from India and they want to see him acting
9. See that he eats his tiffin - please can you rinse it before he comes home as the tiffin box  smells bad .
10. He has left his tiffin at home - can you please give him some money for the canteen.
11. He is not well- send him home if you see him looking tired.
12. He is going for a wedding to India - can you mail me the homework everyday while we are away for 10 days .
13.  If there is a notice - just give me a buzz / call as he does not tell me and I wont know
14. If there is going to be a surprise test can you tell me quietly so I can prepare him.I promise I will not tell him .
15. He is a bit slow so can he get more time in the test.
16. Can you put someone to see that he finishes his lunch and washes his hands.
17. Can he be in the same class as so and so- we are friends you see so it will be helpful as we meet every evening at the yoga class.
18. He is careless while packing his bag- can you please do it/ have it done by another kid.
19.Can you force him to play games in the afternoon as he is so lazy.
20. Remind him not to leave his spectacles on the table as someone will steal them .
21. Can you give 1 more mark as we have checked with friends and that boy got a mark while he did not.
22. Can there be special permission for ..................... a million things !
23. I know you don't allow boys to go to the toilet but he has a weak bladder so he must go  to the toilet every period .
24. Can he wear slip on shoes as he does not know how to tie his laces ( in grade 4 )
25. I know the rule is shorts but he is shy to show his legs- can he wear trousers.
26. Please don't send him for singing/ dancing- against the religion/ tradition.
27 Can he wear a bracelet/ ring- it is for religious reasons
28. During the concert- Please don't put make up as my child gets rashes.
29 Concert- Please let me know what makeup  is being used as her skin is sensitive so I will bring the make up from home and put it myself if you don't mind.
30 Please don't make him a girl in the play/ don't make her a boy - its degrading for a kid ( for goodness sake !!)
31.H is sharing his tiffin with others - he eats their food and they eat his - I don't know what he is eating.
32. My child wastes his food daily ( look into the tiffin and the teacher knows why - its insipid !)
33. Is there any way you can warm his tiffin as he hates cold food .
34  I would like to come in to school  and see you as he is scared of your voice
35 My child feels threatened in class/ school.
36 There was a snake in the toilet - please se that this does not happen ( It never did )
37. My son saw  a cockroach on the wall - how can this happen in a good school like this.
38. There were flies when he was eating lunch and one sat on him and he felt dirty.
39.There was a slight smell  in the toilet so all day she did not go .
40 Can you give 5 composition topics and then one out of those for the test so we can prepare her accordingly.
41. Can there be a practice test in advance .
42. The prefect shouted at my son/ daughter - he/ she felt insulted .
43. My kid was asked to lift the chair and put it on the desk before  leaving ???? Is this needed .
44. My daughter got one star but the other kid got 2 stars ???????? Not fair - very demoralized .
45. You must do more things to encourage the kids (  stars/ sweets  etc)
46. A  man  looked at my daughter when she was entering the bus- can you find out who this was .
47. Listen to this - Parent to teacher - I will leave small gifts in the class-every time my child does good work can you give him a gift .
48. Please don't send my child for PE - she cannot bear the heat ( In the cooler months )
49. Please let my son carry his mobile phone to school as he needs in during pvt tuition .
50 Can you give a new date for his exams as he has to go on a pilgrimage / attend a wedding/ go to India for an engagement / attend a religious ceremony ( almost everyone plays up the religious angle)
51.Why do they have to cover the books with brown paper ??
52. Other kids are using bad language and he is hearing it - now we are concerned it will affect him .
53. He / she is being bullied and is now terrified of coming to school
54. Can I sit in school all day as she has fever - so if needed I can take her home.
55. School starts at 7 40 - We need to drop her by 6. 30 as we go to work - can you arrange for someone to look after her in the morning for an hour every day - she must not be left alone ( sorry we cant do this )
56.She is frightened of water and the swimming teacher forced her to put her head under water - this is cruelty and you must look into it .
57. The teacher criticized her work in front of everyone and said - YOU WONT PASS AT THIS RATE - those sort of remarks are unacceptable and I want to know what action will be taken against the teacher .
58. He was made to stand in the corner for 10 minutes and he felt humiliated ( He was beating up other kids in class )
59. The teacher looked angrily at her - May I know why ?? ( She was eating in class that's why )
60 What is wrong with eating in class ( can  you believe that a parent would ask such a question )
61. Pupils going on a trip to India so parents were asked to sign the normal undertaking  so this is the remark - "I refuse to sign any undertaking that the school will not be held responsible in the eventuality of an accident etc"I do not accept accidents .
62. I have come to lodge a serious complaint as for the second year my child has not been selected for the tennis team .( he can hardly play )
63.Can we discuss the criteria of making Prefects in the school- my son felt he would become Head boy and he is only a Prefect
64 There is a lot of favoritism in school these days ........you must take the teachers to task and be more strict .
65. Some teachers told my son he deserves to be punished ( worst behaved kid in school )
66 Please don't send my son to the counselor he is NOT MAD ( He has ADHD )
67 I refuse to have my son assessed by a Psychologist - this is insulting to my family ( He also has ADHD)

Science - Commerce - Humanities stream election for grade 11 and 12

 Grade 10 - Science / Commerce / Humanities stream selection in Grade 11- A pupil gets very low marks throughout grade 9 and ten / fails in Math / Science most of the time - the pupil is not offered science for grade 11 so here goes.........

HE will feel disappointed
He must be given science as we are both doctors/ engineers
What will all our relatives think
It is a disgrace in our society if her is given commerce
She has wanted to become an engineer from the time she was in grade 5
All her friends have got science so why not her
The system is faulty
Can we see all pupils marks as we are sure something is wrong .
Can the papers be rechecked - there has to be a mistake as she went for tuition throughout the year
This is not fair - PLEASE DO something
We wont leave till you give him science
This is the end of the world for us
I fear he may try and do something to himself as he is very disappointed
Who will be to blame if something happens
Sir you will be to blame if something drastic happens
You are ruining his future
We will complain to the higher authorities
We will go to the press
Who can we meet to get this changed .
Sir- this is torture
Sir he is totally devastated .He says he feels like ending his studies forever
Why are we looking at his low marks- what about his capability.
He is such a good footballer - PLEASE that also must be considered .
He wants to be something in life and your not giving him science
We will teach him/ send him for coaching for both years - we will monitor his work from now on
She will make you proud if you give her just one chance .He/ she has promised to study hard in future .
Why must there be a cut off ................
My wife is refusing to eat and is only crying once she got the news .
I have cancelled all meetings to come and get science for my daughter
I know YOU can do it Sir.
She has been in the school for 10 years so how can you now tell us she wont get science .
Her plan is to go to US for further studies so what is the use if she does not get Math now.
There is no life with Commerce or Humanities - that is for dunces .
Everyone is laughing at her as she never got science.
We cant show our face outside our house now - our life is ruined .
And then there are the tears and the sobs and the sniffles !!!!!!!!

I could go on but I am sure you get the drift .....................

 

Amen !!

 

 

I want to be a Principal

Walking down the corridor of my school ( Where I work in Dubai ) I met a young lad .
In order to make small talk  and probably amuse myself/ de stress as it had been a difficult day, I engaged him in conversation.

" What do you plan to become when you grow up? ", I asked him.
" I am already grown up " he said . ( he was about 10 )

" No- when you get older and start working etc ? " said I .
Pat came the reply- " I want to become a school Principal"

Like all boys of his age I was so sure he would say pilot/ doctor/ engineer  or some such thing..
I was take aback.
" And why do you want to become a Principal? " said I
He looked me in the eye and said.
"  A Principal has no work "
"What do you mean- do you know what all I do? "

" Yes -read the newspapers,  you sign certificates and drink tea  , you play games on your computer , you walk about in the school, birthday children come to meet you  and you shake hands and they give you sweets and you also give speeches sometimes  "

There was no use clarifying - he was only 10 years old .
I wish my job was so stress free !!

I want to be a Principal

Walking down the corridor of my school ( Where I work in Dubai ) I met a young lad .
In order to make small talk  and probably amuse myself/ de stress as it had been a difficult day, I engaged him in conversation.

" What do you plan to become when you grow up? ", I asked him.
" I am already grown up " he said . ( he was about 10 )

" No- when you get older and start working etc ? " said I .
Pat came the reply- " I want to become a school Principal"

Like all boys of his age I was so sure he would say pilot/ doctor/ engineer  or some such thing..
I was take aback.
" And why do you want to become a Principal? " said I
He looked me in the eye and said.
"  A Principal has no work "
"What do you mean- do you know what all I do? "

" Yes -read the newspapers,  you sign certificates and drink tea  , you play games on your computer , you walk about in the school, birthday children come to meet you  and you shake hands and they give you sweets and you also give speeches sometimes  "

There was no use clarifying - he was only 10 years old .
I wish my job was so stress free !!

Of hotels , toilets and lights

Hotel rooms and toilets confuse me at times.
Let me explain- and I have written something like this before
Go to a washroom in a 5 star hotel or a mall and at times your left looking................which is which for goodness sake ?.
Why can't they make it simple . No they believe in stressing you out and confusing you with which is LADIES and which is GENTS .
No-  they don't often write MEN/ WOMEN or any such thing . What fun would there be in that?
No they won't put up a simple photograph/ picture of a woman or a man.
No it will be nothing simple or straightforward - in fact the more complicated - the better.
They have KINGS and QUEENS with crowns / in robes - both FAT ( Most kings and Queens usually are )
They have outlines in GOLD / SILVER paint which, under bright lights really require one  to study the pic very very carefully lest you enter the wrong room by mistake .
Then there are  gold and silver foil figures - made by scatter brained artists indeed .
Then there are stick figures which are even worse.
I have seen people rushing towards the toilet and then staring at the signs - not sure and scared to make a mistake for obvious reasons.
Sometimes the signs  are on the door- sometimes on the wall - at varying heights and of various dimensions .
The corridors leading to  the loo are usually so bright that you can't decipher anything with the glare  or so bathed in warm soft light that yes- YOU CANT' READ  - and then there is music !
So this is what I do - I go - I walk slow - if there is no sign of life around , I put on my spectacles and try and decipher the mystery or else I pretend to talk on my phone till I see someone coming out- How I hate this mystery.
Even worse - once you get inside - how do you use the tap.
With the very modern sensors these days your left swiping your hand under/ over and beside the tap hoping for a miracle . Its funny when there are two or three people at the washbasin at the same time - all of them go swipe swipe swipe- trying to be as casual as possible - they look away hoping for that elusive water to come pouring out - its surely an exercise that has often left me embarrassed ( the same for the WC- For goodness sake WHERE IS THE FLUSH.)
Now to hotel rooms and lights.
There are any number of lights and lamps and so obviously there are any number of switches .
A few days ago I was in a hotel in Chennai - a classic hotel it was - a determined hotel as well- they were determined to confuse !
 I went around at night putting off the innumerable lights and lamps in my room .
In the passage as you enter/ in the washroom/ over the mirror/ 2 large lamps in the corner / 2 smaller bedside lamps /  reading lights on either side of the bed/ a reading light over the table /2 night lights /  a strange small focus light over the area where you make you tea / a special cupboard light .
After a few night caps and a hearty dinner the last thing one wants is a puzzle - that's exactly what it was .
No I was completely in my senses lest you get me wrong but it took the better part of 10 minutes to fathom out the switches for the various lights/ lamps.
The last to go off were the 2 bedside lamps- try as hard as  I did I could not find the switch - finally there it was - a small  1 centimeter silver pin hidden away obscurely under the side of the lamp.
After I had switched all of them off the room was far too dark.
So I started all over again searching for the switch to the night lamps.
God save me ..................

Of hotels , toilets and lights

Hotel rooms and toilets confuse me at times.
Let me explain- and I have written something like this before
Go to a washroom in a 5 star hotel or a mall and at times your left looking................which is which for goodness sake ?.
Why can't they make it simple . No they believe in stressing you out and confusing you with which is LADIES and which is GENTS .
No-  they don't often write MEN/ WOMEN or any such thing . What fun would there be in that?
No they won't put up a simple photograph/ picture of a woman or a man.
No it will be nothing simple or straightforward - in fact the more complicated - the better.
They have KINGS and QUEENS with crowns / in robes - both FAT ( Most kings and Queens usually are )
They have outlines in GOLD / SILVER paint which, under bright lights really require one  to study the pic very very carefully lest you enter the wrong room by mistake .
Then there are  gold and silver foil figures - made by scatter brained artists indeed .
Then there are stick figures which are even worse.
I have seen people rushing towards the toilet and then staring at the signs - not sure and scared to make a mistake for obvious reasons.
Sometimes the signs  are on the door- sometimes on the wall - at varying heights and of various dimensions .
The corridors leading to  the loo are usually so bright that you can't decipher anything with the glare  or so bathed in warm soft light that yes- YOU CANT' READ  - and then there is music !
So this is what I do - I go - I walk slow - if there is no sign of life around , I put on my spectacles and try and decipher the mystery or else I pretend to talk on my phone till I see someone coming out- How I hate this mystery.
Even worse - once you get inside - how do you use the tap.
With the very modern sensors these days your left swiping your hand under/ over and beside the tap hoping for a miracle . Its funny when there are two or three people at the washbasin at the same time - all of them go swipe swipe swipe- trying to be as casual as possible - they look away hoping for that elusive water to come pouring out - its surely an exercise that has often left me embarrassed ( the same for the WC- For goodness sake WHERE IS THE FLUSH.)
Now to hotel rooms and lights.
There are any number of lights and lamps and so obviously there are any number of switches .
A few days ago I was in a hotel in Chennai - a classic hotel it was - a determined hotel as well- they were determined to confuse !
 I went around at night putting off the innumerable lights and lamps in my room .
In the passage as you enter/ in the washroom/ over the mirror/ 2 large lamps in the corner / 2 smaller bedside lamps /  reading lights on either side of the bed/ a reading light over the table /2 night lights /  a strange small focus light over the area where you make you tea / a special cupboard light .
After a few night caps and a hearty dinner the last thing one wants is a puzzle - that's exactly what it was .
No I was completely in my senses lest you get me wrong but it took the better part of 10 minutes to fathom out the switches for the various lights/ lamps.
The last to go off were the 2 bedside lamps- try as hard as  I did I could not find the switch - finally there it was - a small  1 centimeter silver pin hidden away obscurely under the side of the lamp.
After I had switched all of them off the room was far too dark.
So I started all over again searching for the switch to the night lamps.
God save me ..................

Strange replies at interviews

Have spent a number of years interviewing teachers .
Some of the candidates are so typical and so strange.
Listen to some of the things I have come across  and which I can recall.

1.  Please introduce yourself -
Myself Karthik Kumar Sir - may I know what is your goodself's name Sir?
2.What is your good name Sir? So I tell him my good name -
 SIR I am so happy to meet you today - it is my dream .( whaaaaaaaaat )
3.Have you prepared for this interview Ma'am  ??
No Sir- If you can give me some minutes I will prepare and come back !
4.Why do you want to work in the UAE ?
 Because I am liking hot weathers Sir.
5.Are you a married man ?
Sir I was married - now I am not married but next week again I will be married .
6.Are you a good teacher ?
 Sir I am thinking I am a good teacher but I am thinking that you are also not thinking what I am thinking .
7.What are your strong points ?
 Sir I am going to gym so many points are strong , but arms are most strongest  point.
8.Do you think the children will like you as you are so serious ?
 Sir when I am serious childrens are smiling and then when I am smiling also children are smiling - so I am serious ( no idea what that was all about )
9.Can you elaborate on your background ?
Sir I am having small house - there is no back ground  Sir . Front ground is there but it is very small  Sir .
10.So your a music teacher - what instrument do you play? .
 Sir I am not playing any instrument .I am playing with my voice only  !
11. So your a PE teacher - what games do you play/
Sir I am playing running !
But don't you play any game ??????
Yes Sir
Which game my friend
Sorry Sir I am playing running .
So what do you make the pupils do during the PE  period
Sir we are playing running Sir.
12.Tell me anything you can about Akbar the great. ( see how clever /  crafty she was )
Sir
He was great/ he was Indian/ he was a famous man/ he was a kind man/ he was handsome/ he had a wife/ he had many children/ He was Muslim/ He went to mosque/ He said his prayers many times/ He was liking good things for the country/He had a palace/ he had many good clothings/ he also had much silver and gold /He was called Akbar the Great/his greatness was well known/ everybody loved him/ he loved everybody/ he built many buildings . ( the lady would have gone on and on if I had not stopped her - she was vague and clueless but very cunning with her answers !!)
13.What are your thoughts on Indian Politics
Sir I am not thinking about Indian Politics
Ok - What are your thoughts about the cricket fiasco and the spot fixing scandal
Sir - Sorry Sir I am not thinking of that  also.
Ok no problem- Please share your thoughts on the Education system in India
Sorry Sir .
My dear man- do you have any thoughts at all on anything
Yes Sir .
So PLEASE SHARE THEM WITH ME_ ANYTHING - NOW
Sorry Sir
WHY ARE YOU SAYING SORRY ?????
Sir I am not getting any thoughts
( I could have fainted )

 

Strange replies at interviews

Have spent a number of years interviewing teachers .
Some of the candidates are so typical and so strange.
Listen to some of the things I have come across  and which I can recall.

1.  Please introduce yourself -
Myself Karthik Kumar Sir - may I know what is your goodself's name Sir?
2.What is your good name Sir? So I tell him my good name -
 SIR I am so happy to meet you today - it is my dream .( whaaaaaaaaat )
3.Have you prepared for this interview Ma'am  ??
No Sir- If you can give me some minutes I will prepare and come back !
4.Why do you want to work in the UAE ?
 Because I am liking hot weathers Sir.
5.Are you a married man ?
Sir I was married - now I am not married but next week again I will be married .
6.Are you a good teacher ?
 Sir I am thinking I am a good teacher but I am thinking that you are also not thinking what I am thinking .
7.What are your strong points ?
 Sir I am going to gym so many points are strong , but arms are most strongest  point.
8.Do you think the children will like you as you are so serious ?
 Sir when I am serious childrens are smiling and then when I am smiling also children are smiling - so I am serious ( no idea what that was all about )
9.Can you elaborate on your background ?
Sir I am having small house - there is no back ground  Sir . Front ground is there but it is very small  Sir .
10.So your a music teacher - what instrument do you play? .
 Sir I am not playing any instrument .I am playing with my voice only  !
11. So your a PE teacher - what games do you play/
Sir I am playing running !
But don't you play any game ??????
Yes Sir
Which game my friend
Sorry Sir I am playing running .
So what do you make the pupils do during the PE  period
Sir we are playing running Sir.
12.Tell me anything you can about Akbar the great. ( see how clever /  crafty she was )
Sir
He was great/ he was Indian/ he was a famous man/ he was a kind man/ he was handsome/ he had a wife/ he had many children/ He was Muslim/ He went to mosque/ He said his prayers many times/ He was liking good things for the country/He had a palace/ he had many good clothings/ he also had much silver and gold /He was called Akbar the Great/his greatness was well known/ everybody loved him/ he loved everybody/ he built many buildings . ( the lady would have gone on and on if I had not stopped her - she was vague and clueless but very cunning with her answers !!)
13.What are your thoughts on Indian Politics
Sir I am not thinking about Indian Politics
Ok - What are your thoughts about the cricket fiasco and the spot fixing scandal
Sir - Sorry Sir I am not thinking of that  also.
Ok no problem- Please share your thoughts on the Education system in India
Sorry Sir .
My dear man- do you have any thoughts at all on anything
Yes Sir .
So PLEASE SHARE THEM WITH ME_ ANYTHING - NOW
Sorry Sir
WHY ARE YOU SAYING SORRY ?????
Sir I am not getting any thoughts
( I could have fainted )